Yeah. At Edward Jones, we believe rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters so you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being rich is knowing what counts.
Let's find your rich together. Edward Jones, member SIPC. I'm honored to make history and to make my community proud. Oh, what a brilliant tackle from Naomi Kerma. What would you like the power to do?
Bank of America, proud to be the official bank of U.S.
soccer. Bank of America NA member FDSE. The Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max Bundle, the best in entertainment in one bundle. This month, stream Disney and Pixar's Blockbuster family favorite, Hoppers on Disney Plus. Disney Plus.
FX is critically acclaimed the bear, season 5 on Hulu. Everything's either gonna be okay or not. And season 3 of the HBO Original Series, House of the Dragon on HBO Max. You have power within your grass. Get the Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max bundle today.
All of these and more streaming soon. Planned starting at $19.99 a month. Terms apply. Visit DisneyplusHuluMaxBundle.com for details. Good afternoon, everybody.
Welcome into the Winkler Verse. I'm Bart Winkler live at Tom's Watch Bar in Milwaukee, in downtown Milwaukee, right across from the Pfizer Forum. It was setting up outside, and then it started raining. There's a look at the building right there. There's the old feiserv.
Right there, but we're upstairs right now at Tom's, where they're going to be hosting World Cup watch parties all throughout the World Cup. There's different packages that you can get with the VIP seating, with the reserve seating. You can walk in and have a good time. You can do that and join us during this Mexico-South Africa game or later tonight or for the USA tomorrow. But one thing that does happen is.
Bars do fill up quickly, especially the soccer pubs around the area.
So I like to hit those, but I also like to look at new locations as well.
So Time Watch Bar. Is a place to do that.
So you can get reserve seating and then get some gifts along with that. Make sure you have a seat. Make sure you can watch the game. They got some trinkets. They got the gift bag.
They got the Panini sticker album, which are hard to find. The albums are easy to find, but the stickers themselves are hard to find. I bought a bunch for my soccer team. And now they want more stickers. I'm like, I don't know.
You got to like spend 50 bucks at Walgreens for one of those jumbo packs. But we're here at Tom's, going to be here a bunch throughout. Also looking for other places to go. I have no idea where to go for South Korea and Chechnya tonight. I want to find people that like, I want to find South Korean fans is what I want to find.
I want to find fans. I know to go to the beer hall for the German games or the three lions for England, but I want to find fans if they are in this area where they're going to be.
So I'm going to be looking for that and documenting that over the course of the next couple of weeks. If you do want to check out Tom's. I do have a link on Twitter, Facebook, my link tree. Just ask me, I'll give you the link. I have a link and then it supports the show.
I don't know why we're doing this. It supports the show. But then also, you can come and have a good time and not have to worry about the hassle or the wait. Let me talk about the World Cup. I'm very excited for this.
If you want to join, I'll put a link out. If anybody's got World Cup questions or World Cup fever, This is kind of an unannounced live, so I don't expect the biggest audience I've ever had. Eduardo's here, though. He says, Vamos Mexico. This is the only thing that I have to support.
Mexico. I tried to wear my most vibrant hat. And I try, I have a Gulf of Mexico shirt because of course I do. And of course I bought this within the last year. You're going to lose half your audience, Bart.
They're already gone.
Okay. Don't my eyes look beautiful? I don't know what lighting this is, but my eyes have never looked better. I'm very impressed with that. Thank you to my parents for these dutiful.
Yeah. But Mexico has South Africa today. Mexico's played in a bunch of openers before, and they've never. Won one yet.
So, this is hopefully for Mexico the first time that they're ever going to win one. This will be the eighth appearance that they've had in the starting game. for whatever reason. Uh they get picked a lot. They've tied.
Two of those, and they lost the other five.
Now they are the favorite against South Africa, who they matched up against in the 2010s. World Cup opener, but they are the favorite today. The game's at Esteca, the atmosphere is already crazy. There's been people lined up there since 5:30 in the morning. I think this is a USA-hosted World Cup, essentially.
But there are games in Canada and there are games in Mexico. I kind of wish there were more. I kind of wish it was more equal. We do have a bulk of it, but I kind of wish it was a little more equal. But I hope that the fans Do celebrate.
Every game that they can in those areas, and that Mexico and Canada try to, like, with their fans, be like, hey, We deserved more games. We could have pulled this off. You didn't need the USA for all these games. We deserve more. as well.
I haven't lost them all. I'm uh Z Dollar's favorite commie. Yeah. I need to be back. On the radio.
Well, until then. We're cutting our own teeth, making our own things happen. Here at Tom's again in Milwaukee.
So, I just want to preview some World Cup stuff. I wanted one place to share all my World Cup kind of thoughts. I did talk to Michael King yesterday. Michael King, the longtime Milwaukee wave player, indoor soccer hall of famer. One season, he had 71 goals, which apparently is possible in indoor soccer.
But we had a good breakdown of like. Why isn't Soccer in America. More improved than maybe the last time we had a World Cup here. In 1994. And I think it is.
So it is.
Soccer, the standing of soccer in America since 1994. Is improved absolutely. They had a domestic league, they have a domestic league, the MLS. There's passionate fans for that. But it's not what I would have hoped it would have been in 1996.
I was one of those guys in 1998 when baseball went on strike. That I thought MLS, okay, soccer's taking over the country right now. We just had a World Cup, we've got our own domestic league, we're going to make things happen right now, and soccer's going to take over or the strike of 94 into 98. Um, and I say that it was a one-year strike, but I say four years because guys like me were out. Mad about the strike, and then the steroids brought us back.
So Viva Lesteroids. But with the State of American sports at the time, I thought MLS could really take over the summer. 30 years later, They are They are moving towards. I'm going to put the comments up on the stage if you want to keep commenting and live at Tom's watch bar. in Milwaukee.
They are like soccer is better. MLS is fine. I wish there was more to it. You know, but It is what it is. The thing that I think should have been better is the state of the U.S.
team.
So if I look back at some of these World Cups. The best run that America had in this. Current generation because people don't know, and why would you? America once finished third place in the World Cup. The United States in the first World Cup in 1930.
Finished third place. They finished third place in an actual sanctioned World Cup. Since then, they have not gotten better than the quarterfinals, which was the 2002 run where they eventually lost to runner-up Germany in a 1-0 game, where if there was VAR or instant replay, They probably would have been able to win that game. There was a. Discrepancy.
In terms of there was a handball that was not called. On Germany, and it stopped the USA from scoring.
So that could have been a big difference. They lost that game 1-0. But the USA back then. It was The style of soccer has not changed. It's trying to find a strong goalkeeper.
It's trying to find, they usually get a good midfield. They've got good forwards that are great attackers, except for the scoring part. And then the defense always has like one or two weak links. They've usually got a good guy in the middle, like a Donovan or a Pulisic. They've usually got those guys, a Winaldo, these type of guys.
But then, like, a striker like an Altador. Yeah, he's great, but he can't score. You know, these defenders, yeah, they're great, but then they're gonna, like Jeff Agus finally got his run in 2002, played well, started three games, gave up a known goal. They have these kind of guys. Um not to the yeah.
Yeah, they have these kind of guys that It's just been the same team. It's been the same team for 30-some years.
Okay. And I would like to see some improvement on that.
Now, I do think. that this team is going to get out of their group. And I think they can win a first round game in the knockout stages. They have to do that. They have to do that to really.
Justified. the World Cup's existence here. and to make us think brighter in the future. Tim Shea is live. From where are you?
West Dallas. Live from West Dallas. Oh, there it is. What's up, buddy? I'm right by your old house.
I see that. I see that. I know nothing about soccer, I don't even know why I'm here. You texted me and said link. I know.
Just wanted to say hi.
Okay, so let me ask you this. I'll interview you as somebody who knows jack shit about soccer and probably does not even care. I see a lot of people. Even soccer fans that are like, wow, the World Cup has snuck up on us. Wow, the World Cup's here.
Wow, I hear no buzz. I think that in and of itself has created some buzz by everybody saying, don't look up, don't look up, don't look up. You're eventually going to look up. I feel like there's been buzz around. Like in what way?
Where are you seeing World Cup stuff? Just on the channel that it's on.
So, Fox. And you're a big Fox consumer? No, not Fox, like Fox 6 here in Milwaukee or FS1. Like, I was watching the brewer game a couple of weeks ago. on FS1 and they ran, I think every commercial they had a um like a World Cup, you know, it's coming, here it comes, you know, we're a month away or Few weeks away, so.
So you, you're, you're, so it's commercial.
So, so the World Cup to you is no different than them promoting. 99 to one or the floor or going Dutch or Animal Control or Crapopolis or Bob's Burgers or Family Guy or Diary of a Murder or Doc or What are the other shows? I don't love The Simpsons. The Simpsons. Yep, The Simpsons.
No, I just X-Files, Malcolm in the Middle, King of the Hill, 24. It's house. The thing is, like ESPN's an apple. Sliders. ESPN's living color.
Hermit's head. Oh my god. Will you stop? I get we get we get. It's, you know, like American Idol.
Yes, yeah, that's on ABC. It was. It is now. Yes. You like my shirt?
I do. Like also, yes. Where did you get? I think I've asked you this. I need one of those.
If you ever see me wearing a cool shirt or a cool hat. The answer is usually Instagram ad. Your hat right now? This was from a Fanatic sale. It was eight bucks.
Is that a World Cup hat? No, it's a San Jose Clash former. It kind of looks like a World Cup hat. At least from my phone.
Well, that's why I wore it.
Okay. Yeah. All right.
So I just don't think ESPN's really buzzing it up. Obviously, they don't have it.
So. Yeah, if they had it, it'd be obviously if he is a fan of the World Cup. Oh my god, they'd be integrating it with the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup finals, and it would be on all of their shows. And everyone would be hosting a show. Kirk Kirbstreet and his dog would be there.
They've done a good job with World Cups in the past. Fox got it. I don't. I don't hate Fox's coverage. I also don't love it.
Um, I think Alexi Lawless is a sin to humanity. I just don't think soccer is popular in the United States.
So the buzz is. Mm-hmm. If you're not a soccer fan, if you're soccer is popular in the United States. But is it? It's one of these, there are two Americas.
Like I saw the Pfizer Forum, which as you know is Right there. See ya? I see it. Look at that beautiful building. Yeah, it's raining.
As j as soon as I got here, I started setting up and it started raining all over my computer. Yeah. But um Soccer, because like there's another guy here called like Zach Towne. Who's coming to play at Pfizer? I got a cough.
Yeah. I have no idea who that is. I couldn't tell you Zach Tom. And there's Zach Bryan, and there's Zach. Luke, and there's Luke Brian, and there's Zach Brown, and there's Brown Luke, and there's Luke Zach.
There's just so many Zachs. But it's like there are two Americas, but there is an America. where soccer is very prevalent. And it's a soccer where you almost have to look. You have to look at the MLS markets.
You have to look at the different, I would say, immigrants that have come here. Tim Shea has disappeared. I don't know where the hell he went. But to your point, if you're even there, there's a lot of people that are commenting. about it.
Mitch says they kick a ball for 90 minutes. and somebody might win. just doesn't mesh with American culture.
Well, I'll have you know. That for those of you That um Want the World Cup to be more Americanized. You are getting your wish. Because They are going to be having hydration breaks.
So hydration breaks are three minute water breaks. And it's going to be very hot. During this World Cup at different locations.
So they're adding hydration breaks.
Now, some of the games won't need them.
Some of the games are an air-conditioned stadium.
Some of the games it's gonna be 60 degrees. But if you add them in some games, you have to add them in all. What's up with the grass too? Have you heard about this that story? First of all, I'm explaining your first question.
Oh, sorry. Yeah. Well, they're taking soccer is 45 minutes without commercial breaks, but they're taking commercial. Can you hear the Kevin Rudolph behind me or no? Can you hear me?
Let it rock sound and I'm Let it rock, let it rock, let it rock. Yeah. Anyway. Anyway. Yeah.
They're having hydration breaks.
So basically, the halves are turning into quarters. Right. Which means that Fox is going to be like, hmm.
So they're going to add commercials during these games.
So that answers Mitch's question about how this doesn't mesh with American culture. Emili says, your country is already embarrassing, showing blatant racism against African countries. Shame on the USA. That has become a shithole. I wish we were hosting this under different circumstances.
Read into that what I'm explicitly trying to have you read into. I am I am going to be sharing. See, I'm not, the thing with the Fox coverage. And this has nothing to do with Fox News. Fox Sports is separate from Fox News.
But Fox Sports is a partner with the World Cup. They are not going to be showing, hey, we didn't let this ref come in. Hey, we didn't let this Swedish national come in. Hey, at the last minute, we denied all these visas. They're not going to be showing any of that.
There's a lot to celebrate in this World Cup with this cultures blending and these guys that are going all over the country and being like OMG a Waffle House or OMG a Tom's Watch Bar, which is where I'm at. But I'm not going to, I can't. I don't think we can tell the story of this World Cup without highlighting the good, but I also don't think we can tell it without highlighting the bad.
So I'm eager to see over the next six weeks the title of this video. I hope that the team doesn't embarrass themselves. I hope that the country. Doesn't embarrass themselves, which for people like Emilio, and I don't blame them, and I might be on that side. There's already been too much that has been embarrassing.
The Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max bundle, the best in entertainment in one bundle. This month, stream Disney and Pixar's Blockbuster family favorite, Hoppers on Disney Plus. FX is critically acclaimed the bear, season five on Hulu. Everything guys are gonna be okay or not. And season three of the HBO Original Series, House of the Dragon on HBO Max.
You have power within your cross. Get the Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max bundle today. All of these and more streaming soon. Plant starting at $19.99 a month. Terms apply.
Visit DisneyplusHuluMaxBundle.com for details. When you need to send the perfect rose bouquet, only one brand can say they've been the floral authority for 50 years: 1-800 Flowers. Why should you trust 1-800 Flowers? They hand-select every stem to ensure top quality. And with nationwide delivery, smiles and satisfaction are 100% guaranteed.
And right now, when you order a dozen multicolored roses, we'll double it at no extra cost. Don't miss out on this limited time offer. Order today at 1-800Flowers.com/slash SXM. That's 1-800Flowers.com/slash SXM. Tim, you had a question in the back.
Yes, the grass. What about it? Have you seen the videos and just how the ball doesn't Move well.
Well, there is a lot of a lot of these places have. artificial turf and they are using real grass. Yeah. Yes. So that is going to complicate some things, perhaps, because it's not.
Worn in. or fresh grass. I think that the complaints up to this point have been about stadiums that have not been used for the World Cup. No world, there's not been any soccer played on stadiums. There's because there's a lot of friendlies going on.
You may have seen, like, England was playing in Orlando, and there's people in the first row eating food. And people in England are like, what is this? What kind of culture is this? First of all, it's not a World Cup game. That's not happening in these atmospheres.
Second of all, like in Chicago, USA played Germany. There's not going to be any World Cup games in Chicago. And unfortunately, I do think a lot of people bought tickets to that game, USA fans, that thought it was a World Cup game.
So there is a lot of education and literacy that needs to be done revolving this World Cup. But I think that once things get settled in. It's gonna be fine. I also think there's gonna be two different stages to this World Cup. One is gonna be the group play stage, where you're in groups of four, you play everybody, and then the top two automatically advance.
But there's 48 teams this year, so eight third-place teams also advance of the 12.
So it's gonna be very chaotic. There's going to be a lot of blowouts. Spain, I think they play on Monday. Spain is going to play. Uh Cape Verde or Cape Verde, what I'm sorry, I'm American.
I Don't know until I need to. But they're going to beat them like an 11 to nothing. And so you're going to be like, what's going on here? Essentially, it's going to be like March Madness, where. You lead out the bad teams, you've expanded for profit, and then the 16 best teams are going to face each other in the brackets.
Another question, Tim Shea. I'm good. I have no more questions. I'm going to let you go because soccer is your thing. And I, again, don't know much about soccer, but I'll keep watching.
Yeah. Okay. Bye. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, come down to towns. By commercializing, that will draw more interest.
No, I'm just saying that's more American to have stops and games.
Soccer If you'd like me, and I've got time here, I'm just going to talk until the game starts, but soccer. Is not something that a lot of people grew up with.
Now that is changing. But it's still not. Let me explain for like people in their 50 through 65. Let's say like I'm 40, so I'm gonna assume I'm talking to people my age.
So I'm gonna talk, I'm 42, so I'm gonna talk about our parents. For our parents, they didn't grow up with soccer, and soccer came over, but it was a foreign thing that came over here. And whether that's a foreign thing of a country you're afraid of, or whether that's a foreign thing of its English. Um That was not embraced well. And the game is completely different.
The game is Without interruption. The game is without timeout. The game is. without like Coaches having the ability to strategize. When you watch a lot of coaches in soccer, there's a lot of guys that just sit on the bench and don't actually coach or manage the game.
Many coaches say, I've done everything I need to do. In tactical training, I've done everything to do in practice. I have given these guys the tools to play this game. You see some coaches that are still trying to coach it like basketball, but I do think the best way to coach is you've given your team the ability to coach.
Now, what are they going to do with it? You can't call timeout. You can make the right substitution. There's still in-game coaching that can be had. And you can have your little Ted Lasso dream moments, but for the most part, for the most part, they are going to implement the strategy that you have put into them over the course of your training.
So that is what we're looking at here in terms of soccer in America. And I think if you're just used to watching football or used to watching baseball or used to watching basketball, even like hockey, which is a good comparison, it's completely different because there's quick line changes and there's stoppages of play and there's commercials and there's intermissions.
Soccer is different in that regard. You don't have to like it. And I think that's another thing that happens during the World Cup is You start to see soccer everywhere. You feel like it's being. put upon you.
That's not the case.
Soccer's here. The same way that, like I told Tim, American Idols here. Or the NHL Stanley Cup finals are here, or the UFC is here, or WWE is here. Like, soccer is here. You don't have to be inundated with it.
Unless you live in one of these host cities, you're probably not going to be. And In that case, Um It's just a thing that's here. What happens a lot is. You just there's to there's Soccer is not knocking at its door and saying like me. But if you like see soccer down the street.
There's too many people that are already like. I don't want them in my neighborhood. That's what happens.
So then you get mad.
So then you get like outraged. Why is soccer here? Screw soccer. Fuck soccer.
Soccer sucks. This is stupid. This is terrible.
Soccer is not trying to do anything to you, okay? Saker is just coexisting in the world that you live in. You don't have to like it. I like it.
So I talk about it. You don't have to like it. If you don't like it. You don't have to talk about it. See, this is the thing that bothers me with a lot of things.
If you like something, you want to talk about it and you want to be around like people. You want to go to conventions. You want to go to Tom's Watch Bar. You want to go to Three Lines. You want to go to No May.
You want to check out places with other people. You're not going to see 15 people rooting on Argentina take over in Applebee's. They're going to respect your space.
Okay, you're not going to see 40 people from Croatia. All of a sudden. Set up a T V in your neighborhood. They're going to go with other like-minded people.
Soccer is not intrusive, it's not doing anything to you. You may not like that it's bigger, but. That's who cares? I just don't get. And again, this is me standing in the river, and I can't fight against things I can't fight about.
But this is not.
Something that you can stop. And so if you like soccer, great. If you don't like soccer, you can find other like-minded people to bitch about it, I suppose. But to then come into like, don't go to Highbury and say soccer sucks. Don't do that.
And that's essentially what people do. When they need to explain that they don't like soccer. If I'm having a podcast, That is explicitly, it says World Cup preview show. And maybe, hey, I listened to Bart for his Packer takes, Brewers takes, Bucks takes, and he's talking about soccer. When's he going to stop talking about soccer?
I'm not. This is a World Cup show. All right.
So, I'm going to keep talking about soccer. And even if I was on the radio on Chuck and Winkler and I mentioned soccer for five seconds, just a mere murder of soccer got everybody so outraged. I don't like horse racing. And I used to climb on the top of the mountain and say, horse racing sucks. I stopped doing that because who cares what I think?
You like it, good for you. I like this. Good for me. Corey says, the only way we'll get a lot of these people to be involved is for there to be a USA versus Iran matchup.
Now that is possible. If the USA takes second in their group, and if Iran takes second in their group, They will be playing each other. In the round of thirty-two. Which is extremely unlikely. It's more unlikely that They make a deal today.
Than it is that those two teams. Play. I saw a comment from my dad when I started the Fond du Lac Soccer Association. With the association, many in the community. thought soccer was a communist plot to destroy America.
Uh my dad is here. with us now. Hello, Dad. How's it going, Bart? What's up?
Well, I turned the game on and I thought, oh, Bart was going to do a preview show, so I better check and see if he's on. And there you were live with him. We're at the lake house, yeah. Yeah. Are you watching the game?
Yeah, yeah, I had the pregame on and I just muted it for you. Your trailer is more of a cottage than a lakehouse. I know, but it sounds better. Lakehouse? Yeah, Lake House sounds Better than a cottage.
But what it sounds better than what you're actually in is an RV. No, it's not an RV. It feels like an RV. It's a park model. Do you hear any of the music behind me or no?
Just a little? Or not at all? Oh, just just a little.
Okay. Um So I've been talking about the invasion of soccer. You have any more thoughts on that? Because for people that don't know, my dad grew up playing football and is a. Was a football coach before he jumped to the Um communist side of soccer.
Well, Fond du Lac surely thought it was communist back in the 90s. Another James Gunn comment, Dad. Uh Yeah.
Okay, sorry. You look like James Gunn. Good. Yeah. Nobody's asked me for my autograph yet, though, so.
Yeah. Well, it's because no one cares about Supergirl or Clay Face or Lanterns. Yeah, I guess. Yeah. What are your memories?
I was going to go through some World Cup. Should we do that together? Yeah, we can. We can. If that, if you don't want to, you can leave right now.
You don't have to be here. No, I want to be here. I should be wearing a soccer shirt, though, instead of this Packer one, but. This is the only Mexico shirt I have. Oh nice.
Oh no, I have my Germany jersey, but I wasn't gonna wear it till they play. I still have a Germany headband from when I went over there. Yeah. That I'm unaware. Yeah.
And I only brought that up to break that I've been to Germany. As have you. Yeah. You should. You should brag that you were into Germany.
When's the first World Cup that you had any knowledge of happening?
Well, I think I Okay. I was always aware of the World Cups. I think the one that really was the most like in 1974 when they were in West Germany or 78 in Argentina. Do you remember that? Was that even on TV?
Uh I remember 78. Um 74 it wasn't on TV, I don't think it's 74. It might not have been on in 78. I just um Yeah, I don't know. It might have been just on highlight stuff.
I don't remember it being on TV. Yeah, I'm trying to look who would have had it. I think a lot of the stuff was maybe. pay-per-view or um you know, once ESPN two, like ESPN would have buried a lot there, but I don't I just remember even in like when we had those camps at Marion. Yeah, yeah.
For like the 98, not even like before the 94 World Cup, but these guys would talk about the Premier League. And I don't even know how they were watching it. I don't know where they would have been even watching any of it. Yeah, I don't either. I I'm not sure.
I'm not sure how they're watching it either. All right, so in 66, NBC had it. In 70, ABC had it, but I assume they just broadcasted the finals. I'm pretty, yeah, pretty sure. 74 was on CBS, but they used the feet of the BBC.
I don't see a broadcaster for 78. ABC had it, then NBC, TNT had it in 1990. Then ABC picked it up, ran with it from 94 to 2014 before Fox now. Has had the last three. Um And you know, the coverage has been what the coverage Has been and will be.
Overall, it's probably fine. I think they should do more to highlight some of the bad parts of it. And Alexi Lalis should be gagged and. Tight up. But other than that, It's fine.
So 78, what about 82 would have been In Spain, Italy won, you would have been uh just married. Yeah, yeah. Well, I knew I know. I'm pretty sure we watch that final because. Italy was playing.
Italy beat West Germany. Yeah, yeah, West Germany. And then in 86, it was in Mexico and Argentina beat West Germany. And then in 90, it was in Italy where West Germany beat Argentina, and the USA was in that cup. And they got destroyed.
Right. Was that um Did Gansler coach that one? I think so. Ken, want your autograph. You raise the best Milwaukee sports radio host of this generation.
Thanks, Ken. I think he's pretty good too.
Now, 94, we remember. 94, it was in the United States. I just finished watching the documentary on the summer in 94. Where the interesting part with that team was Because a lot of these guys are on club teams and then they come and then they play. But there were like guys in a camp and that was their job.
They'd have guys like John Harks fly in and Winalda fly in and You know um They were treated a different way because they weren't in the thick of it every day, but then they all came together as a team. But they went and Bora took them all over the world just to get their ass kicked to be like, hey. This is at least, these games don't matter. We're playing for 94. Quick aside, that's how I wish you sports were, where your little tournaments and you 11 don't matter.
It's getting them to be better later on. But whatever.
So, but 94, you went to the opening game, didn't you? Yeah, yeah. So, it was really bizarre because. It was in Chicago. Tickets, you know, they were sold out.
And my dad called me like the week before. And he worked for Cops Foods. And the Pepsi guy. Called my dad, or was it Colt? Cole called my dad.
Coke? I think it was Coke. Coke the Coke rep called my dad and said, hey, I got. Two tickets to the World Cup. Would you like to go with us?
Yeah. Then my dad calls me up and goes Hey, you like soccer. Do you want to go to the World Cup game with me? And I'm like, Are you kidding me? Yeah.
He eventually came to watch our games and stuff, but he didn't know that much about soccer. Oh, he didn't know anything about it. Yeah. Yeah. You guys were playing.
That's all he really cared about, but I mean he got to understand it, but He didn't know. What are your game? What do I remember from the game? Yeah. Um so we got in a van.
Uh it was uh Coke van. I'm pretty sure it was Coke. Coke van and uh Two reps from Coke were in the van. My dad and I were in the van. We drove down.
I can't remember. We parked somewhere, took a cab to the Sears Tower. and ate at their restaurant. Goodness. Uh and then we went down down into the down down in the waterfront and it was just packed.
It was just unbelievable. And there were a lot of A lot of Germans walking around. You could tell who they were 'cause they were like. 6'4, 250, solid muscle, bald heads. They're walking around.
Because the game used to be: it used to be: if you won a World Cup, you automatically qualify for the next one. And then you play in the opener, they change that. They now want one of the host countries to open it next year or in 2030. The World Cup's like in Spain and Morocco. But they're starting with games in Argentina and Uruguay.
Did you know that? To celebrate this 100 years. Yeah, it's going to be three different continents eventually, but. But anyway, that's a lot. Yeah.
And I put on the screen, we're at Tom's Watch Bar. You can come in and watch any game without a reservation. They do have reserve seat packages. I have a link. It helps the show.
So go ahead and get some through that. And we're broadcasting live from there today, Dad. Resume. Oh, so then we we the The atmosphere outside the stadium was just unbelievable. All these different countries were there.
They all had their They're fans. We got into the stadium and I think it was the Mexican group. They weren't playing. but they were they were running around the stadium like with uh with their flag and just Cheering and going crazy. It was really a.
Really cool experience to be at at that opener. Um and then we uh You know, then we then we came home. It was really a good time. In 94, I remember watching it, getting into it, and then obviously the MLS started. Ninety-eight.
Was France and the USA sucked in that one? I don't remember that. I would have been in eighth grade the summer after. I don't remember that one as well. like what I did.
I think any of the memories that we would have had about a World Cup growing up and being in Fonduac. Has to be 2002, where they were in South Korea and Japan, and the U.S. had their best run. And we watch these games at our house. Our house was just even a little smaller than your Lake RV.
And we were still able to cramp. For the USA-Mexico game, it was two in the morning. We had 40 dudes over there. Yeah, there were some guys there rooting from Mexico, and we didn't allow them in the house. That was probably.
Rude. In hindsight, but it was packed at two in the morning on Follett Street. I don't know what our neighbors thought or were thinking.
Well, they already knew that, they already knew it was a soccer house, so they. They uh they knew what they were getting into, but um Yeah, those those that was all your those were all your friends, weren't they? Maybe some of Brett's? Yeah, because we came over and the games were the middle of the night or late at night. There were nights that we'd stay up and have all-nighters, and Pete kids would sleep over.
And there was just always traffic in the house because there was always World Cup games on. And uh I hope to one day replicate that for My son, who I won't Be able to watch Friday night's game with him, but I am going to make sure my wife throws. The TV on and make sure he gets into it. I know he wants to watch Messi, and there's one game. where Argentina plays at noon and it's a Monday where he's not in camp.
So I think I'm going to take him somewhere for the game. Oh, that'd be cool. That'd be cool. See what he thinks about that, wearing his messy stuff. Because there is one USA game in the afternoon.
He might have camped for that. Maybe I can yank him out. Oh no, I think that's the same week actually. I think we could have a good week with that. I think we're going to try to.
I think Roy checked out. We're going to be in Fond du Lac later tomorrow. I think we're going to go to the Coliseum. For the USA game? Yeah, he was trying to check out who uh who had something going on and they're really They're you know most of the places said oh we'll have it on T V, but I think beer company, they like to do those kind of events.
Yeah, that could be. I don't know. I don't know. I'm sure he would have gone and checked them out, but.
Well, if you're going to be in Canada, can you go? You're not close to any games, are you? I don't know. I have to look at the schedule a little A little closer. I don't think there's anything in Montreal.
Yeah, where are the Canada games? Vancouver, Toronto? Yeah. I don't know. I don't know.
All right, so that was good. 2006, I was in La Crosse. I don't. The USA really sucked in that one. Yeah.
2010, a lot of people regard it. As the best World Cup ever. It was South Africa, it had the best music. That was the Vuvuzela one. Yeah, yeah.
Which I miss the sound of Ubuzala's, I will be honest. I do. Um And then Spain beat the Netherlands. USA. Made it.
They lost to Belgium in that one. I think that was when, because that was Donovan scoring against Algeria. And then they lost to Belgium in extra time. Yeah. Because that was a better showing than 2014.
Or maybe that was Belgium. What did USA do in 2010? You think I'm like the only one who gives a shit about this in Milwaukee that I would be able to say it off the top of my fucking head? Yeah. USA in 2020 Lost to oh, yeah, they were in the group of death.
Right. No, they weren't. No, they weren't. Don't just agree to everything I say.
Well you're reading it, I thought it was right. What? No, no, I'm uh making shit up. Oh, I thought you were reading it off. Oh.
They lost to Ghana. Oh yeah. They tied England, tied Slovenia, beat Algeria. And then lost to Ghana in the round of 16. In 2014, in Brazil, they beat Ghana.
That was the group of death. They lost to Germany, tied Portugal, which got them into the round of 16 against Belgium, where they lost.
So in 2010 and 2014, They've been on this quest to get back to the quarters. But they lost in the round of 16 both times. 2-1 in extra time. 2018. Oh, so 2014, I just moved to Shorewood and basically watched every game at Three Lions.
And that was a nice experience. In 2018, they missed. Oh, 2010, I was working at Charter, I think. Would have to use VTO to get out and watch games. But 2018, they missed, and I don't have a lot of memory about that one.
I was on the air at WSSP. I remember watching games during the morning, but nobody gave a shit and Yeah, whatever. A lot of it was overnight. 2022 was Qatar, where I was doing work for. Milwaukee Pro Soccer, which we are still waiting for the shovels to be in the ground.
And then I watched a lot of that game all over town. The USA games, I think I did a lot at Nomad. They tied Wales, they tied England, and then they beat Iran. To go to the round of 16 where they lost to Netherlands 3-1. I watched that game at Nomad.
Now it's Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.
So the ones that stick out to me the most. are going to be 2002 2014, actually, because I was just getting indoctrinated into the soccer culture in Milwaukee. And then the last one, because I was all over the place for Milwaukee Pro Soccer, and now in 2026. I'm trying to do it on behalf of uh Myself. Yeah.
At Edward Jones, we believe rich is about taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your financial advisor personalizes your plan to help you preserve your progress and create something that lasts. Let's find your rich, Edward Jones, member SIPC. The Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max Bundle, the best in entertainment in one bundle. This month, stream Disney and Pixar's Blockbuster Family Favorite, Hoppers on Disney Plus.
FX is critically acclaimed the bear, season 5 on Hulu. Everything's either gonna be okay or not. And season 3 of the HBO Original Series, House of the Dragon on HBO Max. You have power within your grasp. Get the Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max bundle today.
All of these and more streamed soon. Planned starting at $19.99 a month. Terms apply. Visit DisneyPlusHuluMaxBundle.com for details. Alex says LeBron's three big decisions all happened a couple of days before the World Cup final, 10, 14, and 18.
And we may get another one here in 26 when they go to Cleveland. I am very concerned that a Giannis trade happens when I'm locked into a World Cup game. Specifically a USA game. Yeah, 'cause it's that it's that it'll be that time of the year for the NBA. Yeah.
The big moves.
So is Stu is O2 still the Well, you went to 94. We had people at our house in 02. Is there one that... Sticks out to you even more than that or not? No, I think the I think the 94 was special because...
You know, it was with my dad, and it was, you know, my first experience of a live game, but. I think the more meaningful ones were the ones that we. We had your friends over and you know we were the house to go to but I don't think anything. has matched that since so Yeah, hopefully we have a Hopefully you have a good run in this one. Look how good my eyes look in this lighting.
Yeah, they do. I know. Maybe it's the brim of the hat. Nah. Maybe maybe it's just that I've seen light outside of the...
light that comes in my basement windows. Is anybody showing up there yet? Yeah, there's people trickling in down there. There's Fiserve. Oh, nice.
Says right across the So what happened? Where is he? And the team. He's at Tom's. No, I'm going to go look here.
Okay. There he goes. Yeah. This fan's filling in. There's also a reason why I have space to broadcast right now, but Yeah.
Just filling in. And again, if you want to come down to Tom's, you can just come down or use one of these packages and my link. We'll hook you up.
Well, to hook me up. But you can't, because I'm happy to. Talk about Tom's because there's a lot of places that I'll be going. But like I'm if I'm gonna try to go to three lions for the USA game to meet one of the other Shorewood dads. We don't get there early.
We're going to be standing five rows back. Right, right. I remember that place gets packed just for regular stuff.
So, if you want reserved seating, this is a good place to come and check it out. And I think the USA game tomorrow. should be pretty big and of course with mexico there's a lot of different Although I tried to find last World Cup where the best place to watch a Mexico game would be. Moran's pub does a good job on the south side, but I want to find another. Spot for Mexico.
So, yeah, people are feeling. I'm going to watch the game here today and. Uh you know Roy always liked going down to Nomad when the US plays. Yeah, Nomad's good. Highberry's good.
I'm trying to find out like South Korea Chechnya tonight. Are there pockets of South Korea fans in Milwaukee? Chechnya fans in Milwaukee. There's got to be somewhere. There's got to be, yeah.
Otherwise, maybe I'll just stroll into Pado and. Lay some money down on Spurs coming back. Which I don't think is going to happen anymore. Not anymore, not it for last night. But still, another World Cup memory that I don't want to shine over is the Women's World Cup.
In 99, because there was a soccer tournament for the Fondi Cup. We had a big soccer tournament. We had a little. 20 inch T V You know, perched up in the concession stand area, and all the games stopped so that everybody could watch. Right, or is that my imagination that all the games stopped?
No, they didn't stop to watch the PKs against China. All the games stopped and we had the game on. I think it was bigger than a 20-inch. 20 inch T V though. But then it was like 32.
Yeah. It wasn't like, it wasn't an HD TV. It wasn't even like. No, no, no, but it was a little bigger. Like, we had a lot of people standing around watching that.
So yeah, that was kind of cool that we did that. That was good. Yeah, so that was fun. Do you know enough about the World Cup to have any predictions on a winner or a USA run? Oh, I listened to Landon.
Landon Donovan had a good breakdown a while, a couple days ago. trying to and he was picking he was picking Who the US was going to play based on. They're ranking in the world, you know, if we got through. Um And he was pretty high on. Spain and even Portugal.
I think he picked, I can't remember, I think he might have picked Spain. I'm coping if they if you're if you're making bets world just for people world cup winners are pretty chalk There's only been eight teams that win the World Cup. Yeah, yeah. So even Portugal is like a good Portugal would be like if you're betting on the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA Finals. Like, yeah, there's a chance, but they're not going to do it.
Right. And then Belgium. I pick Belgium in a thing, but that's like me picking the... The I don't know, the pistons. And USA would be like picking the Uh The Lakers, I don't know.
Yeah. Nine afters. It's a really tough road. I mean, if they get. They should get to the first round.
If they got to the second round of the after the group play. That would be pretty good. Yeah, Zocalo could be a good place.
Okay. Zakala? Uh yeah, little food park. Oh. Right over there.
Maybe I'll try to hit that. Maybe I'll try to hit that for the second half. If it's happening, I think it is. Gotta be. Um Yeah.
Yeah, I want to try to be... an unofficial documentarian of World Cup activities in Milwaukee. That'll be cool. That's a good. I don't know if it'll do anything for me, but...
Well, hopefully people, like you're the only one that's really doing anything with the World Cup in the area, aren't you? Yeah, and if it's like me being the only one to do anything with Milwaukee baseball Mm. Yeah, right. Yeah. Forrest says the Suns rented out Tom's when it was the mecha game for the finals.
We ate there before the game, and Suns' employees were extremely arrogant and unprofessional. It was weird. Fuck the Suns.
Okay. Yeah. The Knicks were feeling like the Suns last night, but again, they ended up. winning. I guess they'd be the sons of the valley.
Oop didn't happen. Yeah, I can't believe that.
So are we watching any games together, Dad, or what's the call here? For the week. We're not back until. What the 24th of June? 25th.
Don't do this thing where mom gives you answers. If mom wants to talk, she can talk. No, I didn't know. I was looking at her because I was like four times. Hi, mom.
Hi, Bart.
Okay. She's hiding over here. Plugging in her phone and playing a video game. All right.
If I see you guys. For lunch. After the 25th, what are we? What's the second?
Well, on the 13th, you're going to be driving during Qatar, Switzerland, but I might not watch that game either because the DC defenders are against the Louisville Kings in the United Bowl. Oh, there you go. You got to watch that. The 25th? The USA plays that night at nine o'clock.
Oh, they do? All right, maybe you can do post-game shows for the USA games. We should be back. We should be back. When do they play the when do they play like the 20th?
They play the eighteenth or no the nineteenth.
Okay. No, I'm dumb. They play tomorrow and then they play on another Friday, the 19th, at 2. Oh yeah, so that's we'll be in Canada for that game. At the very least, you got to find when Canada plays again and go somewhere for that.
Yeah, I think we were 24th they play Switzerland at 2. The last, we went, when did we go to? We went to Canada like two years ago. And the US was playing Canada. for something.
Maybe it was a gold cup. I don't know. They were playing in Canada and we went. We went to uh Canadian bar to watch the Packer game or the US game. We were the only US We were the only US fans.
Let's see that weekend. Oh, then they start playing games at the same time. I'm so excited. I'm going to watch every minute of this World Cup. I'm even not going to a Death Cab for Cutie show.
to I believe watch the third place game. Yes. Yeah. Well, this one looks like What? Looks like this one's getting ready to start, huh?
Yeah, I'm going to wrap things up here, watch the game, maybe check out what else is going on. I'm going to be documenting the World Cup for my own pleasure, and if I can get a few nickels from. Zuck or Elon, that'd be great too. Um But yeah, excited to get this game. One other thing is I don't Like you talk to somebody and say, Do you feel the World Cup buzz?
I have it on me. Like I was coming down here listening to music. Unrelated to soccer and just looking at people walking, not going to bars. And in my head, I'm listening to a soccer song, watching people go to celebrate the World Cup. I have goggles on right now where everyone.
Is celebrating the World Cup along with me. And if you're by me, if you're Next to me, the buzz will be like gravity, where you will be, you will be buzzed because of the buzz that I am outwardly projecting. I this is the greatest shit ever to me. I love it. Good, good.
Bring it. Bring it to us. Bring it. I'll be watching. I'll be watching all your shows.
Maybe not live, but I'll be watching them. My wife even listened to me talk to Michael King. I was like, Do you even know my show? And she's like, I figure you got to date your husband somehow. Yeah.
Okay. Yeah, but that was a really good interview. People need to watch that one. Yeah, Michael King, longtime legend, with all the content I've been cranking out this week, including. The return of Take Me Out to the Paul Game with Paul Limmigan and Ryan Horvat, where I blew a lead.
And that one. All right, well enjoy the game. What where you were caught, where you exposed yourself cheating. Yeah, I wasn't caught cheating. I admitted to cheating.
Yeah, I know. I know. You projected cheating onto your opponent. And you were cheating it the whole time. That's the way of the world.
Yeah, yeah. All right, well, I'm going to watch these opening ceremonies. Thanks for coming.
Okay. Oh, yeah.
Well, thanks for having me. Take care. Dad and Tim Shea joining us, the two people that have helped raise me the most. Yeah. See you, Dad.
All right, again, I'm at Tom's Watch Bar where people are starting to trickle in down there. There are reservation packages. This is to make sure that you can get a seat, not have to worry about it, even show up at the last minute. 'Cause if you're showing up for some of these USA games and some of your favorite bars, You will need to be showing up early. This way you get a seat.
Um there is food and beverage that comes back to you. with it For a good amount. And then there's different VIP packages too, where you can have the best seats and get some of the. Prizes and trinkets that come along with it.
So, we're at Tom's Watch Bar here. We will be back throughout the World Cup to continue to let you know what they have going on. But I am not. a bar exclusive, even the bars that I've been to. Am I a nomad guy?
Am I a three lines guy? Am I a high berry guy? Am I a Moranz guy? I am a guy. All of them.
I want to be everywhere. If you know of a place that has something that I haven't mentioned, I want to know about it. I want to check it out. One of the best parts when we did this. With Milwaukee Pro Soccer in 2022, one of my favorite parts was Yeah, Highbury, Nomad.
These places were great. The um Croatian soccer club. 100 people packing a type of beer hall place. Because they knew they would all be there together and watch, and they let us come by. And that's the kind of shit.
that I want to be a part of. If there's World Cup happening in Milwaukee, Even if it's like Some restaurant saying, Hey, no one cares, and Menominee Falls will be the one. I want to go there. I want to check it out. I want to go where the natives are.
I want to go where the. Immigrants are, I want to go where there's just the fans are, and the second generation people are. I just want to go where the action is. This World Cup. As many of you know and continue to harass me about on Twitter.
I don't got much else places to go during the day. Or at night. Or in the morning. or on the weekends.
So the World Cup is my life. Coincidentally, getting laid off does coincide. It's not just LeBron, it's usually when a World Cup's coming up, I get laid off. I think this is the third time of that because I was back, yeah. In high school.
So, thanks for checking us out. Come check out Tom's watch bar during the action. Also, I want to know where you guys are going. I just want to, I just want to, I want to, I want to document this. I want to know what the Hell is going on?
Every game, I'll show you where I'm watching it, even if it's at home. or in bed. You'll get to see a little Behind the scenes. Or in my basement. But I'm so excited.
Kick out five minutes away. This is the best. This this there's nothing better than this. Because it's, you know, they say it's like 48 Super Bowls. They're right.
There is nothing better than this to me. I'm not trying to convince you of that. I'm not trying to. Communize you. There's nothing better than this, and I am so pumped.
So check it out. Thanks for coming into the Winklerverse. We're going to be soccer heavy. We're still covering the NBA draft, going to be live for that. Still going to cover when Giannis gets traded.
Be lying for that. Still gonna cover the brewers. Yeah. We'll talk to you soon. Thanks for stopping into the Winklerverse.
It was uh really. You never forget your first fan.
So, how was practice, kiddo? My mom inspired me to dream big and ask myself: what would you like the power to do? My answers helped me become the soccer player I am today, trusting my instincts and stepping onto the pitch without fear. Bank of America champions U.S. men's national team member Tyler Adams.
And everyone who dares to ask, what would you like the power to do? Bank of America, proud to be the official bank of U.S.
soccer and FIFA World Cup 2026. Bank of America NA member FDSE. A cool and crisp Modelo tastes good. But that fought for every rebound Modelo, or that just clocked out Modellos. That Modello you earned is just better.
That, Madello, is the mark of a fighter. Drink responsibly, beer imported by Crowland Port, Chicago, Illinois. The Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max Bundle. The best in entertainment in one bundle. This month, stream Disney Pixar's Blockbuster Family Favorite, Hoppers on Disney Plus.
FX is critically acclaimed the bear. Season 5 on Hulu. Everything guys are gonna be okay or not. And season 3 of the HBO Original Series, House of the Dragon on HBO Max. You have power within your cross.
Get the Disney Plus Hulu HBO Max bundle today. All of these and more streaming soon. Flying starting at $19.99 a month. Terms apply. Visit DisneyplusHuluMaxBundle.com for details.
